Fertilizer and insecticide capsule

ABSTRACT

A fertilizer and insecticide capsule attaching to an in-ground sprinkler system allowing lawn and garden chemicals to be dispensed simultaneously to a lawn or garden while watering it. Lawn and garden chemicals in tablet or liquid form can be used interchangeably with ease. This method of chemically treating a lawn or garden greatly reduces or eliminates chemical exposure to a user while dispensing chemicals onto a lawn or garden. The present invention is easy to install and use, and saves a user time by combining process of watering a lawn or garden with process of chemically treating a lawn or garden.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a fertilizer and insecticide capsulefor use in connection with an in-ground sprinkler system. The fertilizerand insecticide capsule has particular utility in connection withdispensing lawn and garden chemicals simultaneously with water whilewatering a lawn.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Fertilizer and insecticide capsule are desirable to eliminate contactwith harmful lawn and garden chemicals while dispensing chemicals evenlyand thoroughly over lawn and garden.

The use of automatic fertilizers and insecticide capsules is known inthe prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,518 to Jester disclosesfertilizer sprinkler system. However, the Jester '518 patent does notreadily attach or adapt to an existing sprinkler system, and has furtherdrawbacks of requiring complicated construction of a pipe systemcomprised of an open inboard portion, a closed outboard portion with aplurality of outlet valves, and an intermediate portion.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,181 to Craig discloses a fertilizer dispenser thatis for use with a sprinkler line system. However, the Craig '181 patentdoes not address ease of assembly in attaching fertilizing dispenser tosprinkler system and additionally does not allow ease during use.

Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,512 to Craig discloses a fertilizercontainer for a sprinkler system that provides a screen to hold thefertilizer and permits water to permeate therethrough. However, theCraig '512 patent does not allow replacing filter with fertilizer andinsecticide capsule, and can not mix chemicals inside pump.

Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,303 to Freyvogel discloses a sprinklersystem fertilization regulator that automatically mixes a plurality ofchemicals for the purpose of fertilization, weed control, or insectcontrol. However, the Freyvogel '303 patent does not allow ease inassembly, and has the additional deficiency of being complicated to useand repair.

While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particularobjectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describea fertilizer and insecticide capsule that allows little or no contactwith lawn and garden chemicals for person using invention whiledispensing chemicals over lawn and garden. The Freyvogel patent makes noprovision for fertilizer capsules attached to an existing sprinklersystem.

Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved fertilizer andinsecticide capsule that can be used for dispensing lawn and gardenchemicals simultaneously with water while watering a lawn with little orno contact with chemicals for a person using invention. In this regard,the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect,the fertilizer and insecticide capsule according to the presentinvention substantially departs from the conventional concepts anddesigns of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatusprimarily developed for the purpose of dispensing lawn and gardenchemicals simultaneously with water while watering a lawn with little orno contact with chemicals for a person using invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofautomatic fertilizers and insecticide capsules now present in the priorart, the present invention provides an improved fertilizer andinsecticide capsule, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages anddrawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the presentinvention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is toprovide a new and improved fertilizer and insecticide capsule thatdispenses lawn and garden chemicals simultaneously with water whilewatering a lawn and garden which has all the advantages of the prior artmentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a fertilizerand insecticide capsule which is not anticipated, rendered obvious,suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in anycombination thereof.

To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a fertilizerand insecticide capsule that attaches to a pump motor primer hole, tohoses between pump motor and dispenser, or replaces a filter andcontains lawn and garden chemicals which mix with incoming water and isreleased through sprinkler hose heads onto a lawn or garden. The presentinvention chemically treats a lawn or garden while watering it, andreduces or eliminates a user's contact with harmful lawn and gardenchemicals.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the invention in order that the detailed description thereofthat follows may be better understood and in order that the presentcontribution to the art may be better appreciated.

The invention may also include a container for chemical tablets and aseparate interchangeable container for chemical liquids. There are, ofcourse, additional features of the invention that will be describedhereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claimsattached.

Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbe readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a readingof the following detailed description of presently preferred, butnonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect,before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, itis to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applicationto the details of construction and to the arrangements of the componentsset forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced andcarried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that thephraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose ofdescriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciated that the conception,upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basisfor the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carryingout the several purposes of the present invention. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved fertilizer and insecticide capsule that has all of theadvantages of the prior art automatic fertilizers and insecticidecapsules and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved fertilizer and insecticide capsule that may be easily andefficiently manufactured and marketed.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved fertilizer and insecticide capsule that has a low cost ofmanufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and whichaccordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consumingpublic, thereby making such fertilizer and insecticide capsuleeconomically available to the buying public.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a newfertilizer and insecticide capsule that provides in the apparatuses andmethods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, whilesimultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associatedtherewith.

Even still another object of the present invention is to provide afertilizer and insecticide capsule for dispensing lawn and gardenchemicals simultaneously with water while watering a lawn with easewhile saving time by combining the two processes. This allows a user tochemically treat a lawn or garden with little or no contact withchemicals.

Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved method of dispensing lawn and garden chemicals from anin-ground sprinkler system while watering a lawn or garden.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with thevarious features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointedout with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part ofthis disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, itsoperating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those setforth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the fertilizer andinsecticide capsule constructed in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the fertilizer and insecticide capsule ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the fertilizer and insecticidecapsule of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the fertilizer and insecticidecapsule of the present invention.

The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout thevarious figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-4, apreferred embodiment of the fertilizer and insecticide capsule of thepresent invention is shown and generally designated by the referencenumeral 10.

In FIG. 1, a new and improved fertilizer and insecticide capsule 10 ofthe present invention for dispensing lawn and garden chemicals from anin-ground sprinkler system while watering a lawn or garden isillustrated and will be described. More particularly, the fertilizer andinsecticide capsule 10 has an incoming hose 12 from a water source,attaching to a pump motor 14 and an outgoing hose 18 which transportswater and chemical mixture to a distributor 20. FIG. 1 shows thedistributor 20 that receives a water and chemical mixture from anoutgoing hose 18 and transports it through several sprinkler hoses 22and dispenses it through sprinkler heads 24 at ends of sprinkler hoses22. The water and chemical mixture is released from the sprinkler hoses22 at sprinkler heads 24 on ends of sprinkler hoses 22 and dispersedonto a lawn or garden. FIG. 1 shows a method of dispensing lawn andgarden chemicals from an in-ground sprinkler system while watering alawn or garden. More particularly, FIG. 1 shows a method of releasing achemical and water mixture from a fertilizer and insecticide capsule 10through sprinkler hoses 22 onto a lawn or garden.

FIG. 2 shows a removable, interchangeable fertilizer tablet container 26for holding fertilizer tablets 30 attaches at top of fertilizer andinsecticide capsule 10 by screwing in primer hole 16 of pump motor 14.Fertilizer tablet container 26 can be made of plastic, metal, glass orany other suitable material. Once fertilizer tablets 30 are placedinside fertilizer tablet container 26, a fertilizer tablet container cap28 is screwed on top. FIG. 2 shows a method of attaching a fertilizerand insecticide capsule 10 into a primer hole 16 of a pump motor 14.

FIG. 3 shows a removable, interchangeable liquid container 32 forholding chemical liquids or powders which can be attached in the samemanner and location as the fertilizer tablet container 26 and can bemade of plastic, glass, metal or any other suitable material. Afertilizer and insecticide capsule cap 34 is attached at top offertilizer and insecticide capsule 10 when neither the fertilizer tabletcontainer 26 nor the liquid container 32 are attached. FIG. 3 also showsan alternative embodiment wherein a fertilizer and insecticide capsule10 is attached between a pump motor 14 and a distributor 20 byconnecting threads at bottom and top of fertilizer and insecticidecapsule 10 to corresponding threads on outgoing hose 18 where it isdivided to accommodate attachment of fertilizer and insecticide capsule10. A fertilizer and insecticide capsule 10 can also be attached in thismanner to replace a filter. FIG. 3 shows a method of attaching afertilizer and insecticide capsule 10 to an in-ground sprinkler systemin between a pump motor 14 and a distributor 20. FIG. 3 also shows amethod of attaching a fertilizer and insecticide capsule 10 in place ofa filter of an in-ground sprinkler system.

FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of the present invention, showingflow of water into fertilizer tablet container 26 from incoming hose 12,mixing with fertilizer tablets 30 to create a water and chemical mixturewhich flows out of fertilizer tablet container 26 through outgoing hose18. FIG. 4 also shows threads on bottom of fertilizer tablet container26 and inside primer hole 16 which correspond to attach fertilizertablet container 26 to pump motor 14 at primer hole 16. FIG. 4 alsoshows threads on top of fertilizer tablet container 26 which attach to afertilizer tablet container cap 28.

FIG. 4 shows a method of placing lawn and garden chemicals into afertilizer and insecticide capsule 10, allowing chemicals to mix withincoming water.

In use, it can now be understood that lawn and garden chemicals areeasily dispersed with less risk of contact with harmful chemicals whenusing the present invention. While a preferred embodiment of thefertilizer and insecticide capsule has been described in detail, itshould be apparent that modifications and variations thereto arepossible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of theinvention. With respect to the above description then, it is to berealized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of theinvention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form,function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readilyapparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalentrelationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in thespecification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.For example, any suitable sturdy material such as metal or a variety ofplastic may be used instead of the plastic described. And althoughdispensing lawn and garden chemicals simultaneously with water whilewatering a lawn with little or no contact with chemicals for a personusing invention have been described, it should be appreciated that thefertilizer and insecticide capsule herein described is also suitable fordispersing any suitable lawn or garden non-chemical tablet or liquid.Furthermore, a wide variety of sprinkler system may be used instead ofthe one described.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

1. A fertilizer and insecticide capsule comprising: a liquid container means for holding lawn and garden chemicals that attaches to an in-ground sprinkler system to mix lawn and garden chemicals with water and disperse water and chemical mixture onto a lawn or garden; a removable plastic tablet container for holding lawn and garden chemicals tablets; a pump motor for connection to a water source by an incoming hose which releases water mixed with lawn and garden chemicals through an outgoing hose, said pump motor comprising a threaded primer hole; threads on outer bottoms of the liquid container and the tablet container means for holding lawn and garden chemicals corresponding to said threaded primer hole of the pump motor for attaching to an in-ground sprinkler system; and a distributor to receive water mixed with lawn and garden chemicals from the outgoing hose of said pump motor chemicals from the outgoing hose of said pump motor and to release water mixed with lawn and garden chemicals through sprinkler hoses attached to sprinkler heads, allowing the sprinkler heads release water mixed with lawn and garden chemicals onto a lawn or garden.
 2. The fertilizer and insecticide capsule of claim 1 wherein: said means for holding lawn and garden chemicals is a liquid container.
 3. The fertilizer and insecticide capsule of claim 1 wherein: said means for holding lawn and garden chemicals is a tablet container.
 4. The fertilizer and insecticide capsule of claim 1 wherein: said means for holding lawn and garden chemicals is a liquid container and a tablet container.
 5. The fertilizer and insecticide capsule of claim 3 wherein: said tablet container is removable.
 6. The fertilizer and insecticide capsule of claim 4 wherein: said tablet container removable.
 7. The fertilizer and insecticide capsule of claim 2 wherein: said liquid container is removable.
 8. The fertilizer and insecticide capsule of claim 4 wherein: said liquid container is removable.
 9. The fertilizer and insecticide capsule of claim 1 wherein: said means for holding lawn and garden chemicals is plastic.
 10. The fertilizer and insecticide capsule of claim 1 wherein: said means for holding lawn and garden chemicals is glass.
 11. The fertilizer and insecticide capsule of claim 1 wherein: said means for holding lawn and garden chemicals is metal. 